Ecstasy pills, cannabis worth Rs.58.5 lakh seized at airport FPO, 2 arrested

Chennai, July 18 (Agency) In a major breakthrough, Customs officials today seized ecstasy tablets, LSD stamps ad cannabis worth Rs 58.5 lakhs from a parcel which came from Spain at the airport Foreign Post Office (FPO) and arrested two people in this connection. A release from the Office of the Commissioner of Customs said based on information, customs officials intercepted a postal parcel which came from Spain at Foreign Post Office on suspicion of containing narcotics. On opening a cardboard box was found containing a greeting card and two silver plastic pouches. On cut opening the pouches, pink colour tablets with skull shape on side suspected to be MDMA, were found inside. In all 994 “Pink Punisher” MDMA or ecstasy tablets valued at Rs.50 lakh were recovered. On opening the greeting card, one white plastic packet was found in which LSD “Lysergic Acid Diethylamide” Stamps were concealed.

Totally, 249 LSD stamps valued at Rs six lakhs were recovered. The parcel was addressed to a person residing at ‘JMJ Motherland, a locality near Auroville in Puducherry. Searches were carried out by a team of Chennai Air Customs and Cuddalore Customs officers at the address and two people residing there were arrested. Also, during the searches carried out at the residence, two packets of Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) cannabis (Ganja), weighing 5.5 kg and valued at Rs 2.5 lakh were seized. On questioning they informed that they had procured the ganja from Andhra. Rubak Manikandan (29), of Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, a freelance mural artist and one Loy Viegus (28), who works in a chicken farm appeared to be junkies and were arrested for their role in smuggling. Both of them were produced before the Judicial Magistrate Alandur today and were remanded to judicial custody. In all, 994 “Pink Punisher” ecstasy tablets, 249 LSD Stamps and Andhra cannabis worth Rs.58.5 lakhs were recovered and seized under NDPS Act, 1985 and two people were arrested in this connection. Further investigation in under progress.